Charlie Brown's Steakhouse has closed at least nine more restaurants in the tri-state area, including the one in Mariners Harbor.

The popular chain closed five locations in New Jersey, in East Windsor, Eatontown, Fairfield, Forked River and Woodbridge. The four other closings took place in New York and Pennsylvania.

Unlike on Monday, when the company issued a statement saying it was shuttering 20 restaurants, including 13 in New Jersey, there was no official announcement this time.

The additional closings reduce the chain's total number of restaurants to 29, nearly half of what it had at the start of the week. CB Holdings, the company that runs Charlie Brown's, also said this week it was closing 10 Bugaboo Creek Steak House locations in Atlanta and Massachusetts.

On Tuesday, company spokesman Rich Covey said the closures were spurred by "underperformance" at the locations and that the chain would work with employees to find other positions. He did not return several requests for comment Wednesday.

However, several employees said Wednesday that while they had heard that the company was going through financial troubles, they had no idea they would be laid off.

The family-oriented chain, which opened its first location in Westfield more than 40 years ago, came into the spotlight earlier this year in February, when a former CEO, Russell D'Anton, pleaded guilty to committing mail fraud and tax evasion.

But the company appeared to be on the rebound by April, when current CEO Sam Borgese told Fox Business during a televised interview that he was returning the chain to its former steakhouse theme.